Savio Rodrigues, former Congress leader, in an open letter recently slammed the Archbishop at the Archdiocese of Delhi for urging Catholics to fast and pray for a new government in 2019. Condemning Archbishop’s letter, he questioned the media for not calling out the communal propaganda.
Since then, he has received threats and hate messages for speaking up against the communal message of the Church, he has claimed.
Here is a open threat of harm to blacken my face with a cash reward that haa been the rounds on FB. @narendramodi @manoharparrikar @HMOIndia @DGP_Goa @TimesNow. Now this is a serious threat. pic.twitter.com/RcdtulLJvC
— Savio Rodrigues (@PrinceArihan) May 22, 2018
Savio has claimed he is also receiving messages from relatives asking him to issue an apology for his remarks on the Archbishop.
Just got a message from a distant relative insisting that I publicly apologise to the Church as I have upset many people. So in all politeness I told the distant relative to stay distant and not worry about the threat or insults to my life and family.
— Savio Rodrigues (@PrinceArihan) May 23, 2018
He has also tweeted screenshots of texts he has received on WhatsApp.
An example of hate messages. It only means I did the right thing in the interest of the Nation. pic.twitter.com/xetCyhnlZx
— Savio Rodrigues (@PrinceArihan) May 22, 2018
Thus far, such behaviour has only been witnessed from radical Maulanas and Maulvis who issue Fatwas at the drop of a hat. For instance, there was the Shahi Imam of Kolkata’s Tipu Sultan Mosque, who announced a reward for anyone who shaved Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s beard. He also threatened Tareka Fatah declaring that he would be beheaded.
Then, there was the case of Muslim BJP leader Bukkal Nawab who was ostracized from Islam by Darul Uloom Deoband for worshipping Lord Hanuman at a Temple in Lucknow. It appears some Christians are catching the radical bug from the most rabid sections of Islamists in Indian society.
